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The Reckoning	By : Snapeoutofit Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 21948 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: All characters and settings are the creation of JK Rowling. I own nothing of Harry Potter and make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 1-One
- 2-Two
- 3-Three
- 4-Four
- 5-Five
- 6-Six
- 7-Seven
- 8-Eight
- 9-Nine
- 10-Ten
- 11-Eleven
- 12-Twelve
- 13-Thirteen
- 14-Fourteen
- 15-Fifteen
- 16-Sixteen
- 17-Seventeen
- 18-Eighteen
- 19-Nineteen
- 20-Twenty
- 21-Twenty One
- 22-Twenty Two
- 23-Twenty Three
- 24-Twenty Four
- 25-Twenty Five
- 26-Twenty Six
- 27-Twenty Seven
- 28-Twenty Eight
- 29-Twenty Nine
- 30-Thirty
- 31-Thirty One
- 32-Thirty Two
- 33-Thirty Three
- 34-Thirty Four
- 29
- 30
- 31
As Severus finished the incantation, the heat in Hermione’s belly began to fade. She stared at Severus, dumbstruck, while he stared at her abdomen. She waited for him to speak and, when he didn’t, she began rubbing the lower quadrant of her stomach. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt any longer. Her skin was still warm, but she was surprised she felt better.
“Severus..” she said carefully, “what did you just do?”
He was looking anywhere but her eyes.
“Severus...? What was that incantation?” Hermione’s brows furrowed with confusion as she propped herself up on her elbows.
Severus felt as if the blood in his veins had simply stopped flowing. He was frozen. He could not take his gaze away from the waning patch of red skin. Even though he had never used the potion before, it behaved exactly as it was supposed too. Had nothing happened, Severus didn't know if he would have felt sad or indifferent. After all, if her body had not reacted to the incantation and Hermione was not pregnant things would be inconsequential. But that was not the case. Severus had felt heat emanating from her almost instantly. The reason for Hermione’s state was abundantly clear.
He placed his hand on her stomach and rubbed gently before looking up into her eyes. She looked worried.
“Was that some sort of diagnostic? Severus, what’s wrong?” Her voice was shrill.
“Nothing is wrong.” His voice was quiet. Then, a small curve formed at the corners of his mouth. A smile spread across his face. “You’re pregnant.”
He looked at her and saw the torment of realization and conflicting emotion move across her face. She didn’t say anything for a long time. She looked puzzled and he could tell she was thinking.
“Well, how do you know?” She asked the question matter of factly and Severus nearly laughed out loud. He rubbed her skin affectionately.
“Your skin was on fire, Hermione,” he said with a chuckle. “Had nothing happened when I said the incantation that would have indicated you were not pregnant.”
“I don’t believe it,” she said dumbstruck. Then, a smile spread across her face. “Severus, really? Are you sure?” He began to hear notes of excitement in her voice.
He returned her happiness. “Yes, I’m as sure as anything.” He leaned closer and kissed her. “I am concerned, however, about this sickness,” he said as he pulled away and sat back in the chair, “the last thing I want is for you to be feeling miserable.”
Hermione nodded in uncertain acknowledgment of his concerns. She couldn’t afford to feel this way, but she didn’t know what to do either. He squeezed her hand and glanced at the clock.
“I have to go take care of things. I want you to rest. We will talk more this evening, but have me contacted if anything is wrong.” He stood quickly and went around their chambers collecting several of the books he knew she’d been recently reading. He set them on the coffee table alongside another bottle of the anti nausea potion. She smiled as she watched him. When he leaned down to kiss her goodbye, she could feel her heart fluttering.
“I love you,” she whispered against his lips before both were smiling in delight. It took Severus several more minutes to pull himself away and finally force himself to his office.
SSHGSSHGSSHGSSHGSSHG
Hermione felt nauseous for the next few days. Several potions helped calm her symptoms, but there was no denying that she wasn’t doing her best. Her ailments went noticed by everyone.
One morning, Hermione sat at the staff table for breakfast. Severus watched as she pushed some fruit around her plate until she felt as if her stomach would upend itself when the pungent aroma of Hagrid’s breakfast sausages finally reached her. All at once, she shot up from the table and ran through the staff door. Professor Sprout shot the Headmaster a knowing look before he set down his knife and fork to go after her.
That afternoon, as they toiled in the potion’s classroom, Severus expressed that he felt they had no choice but to share the news. He caved, however, when she was adamant about not drawing attention to it just yet. She said she wanted to conduct her days as normally as possible, at least for the time being.
“I just want to process all of it myself. Even though I’m sick, I want to enjoy this...and enjoy it before it’s, you know, news,” she gesticulated in support of her position as she spoke. “I just want to let it all sink in and let it be between us for now.”
Severus ran his fingers through his hair in mild frustration. “At least Madam Pomfrey,” he stated. “I would like for her to know.”
Hermione nodded in agreement and they met in the Hospital Wing after Hermione’s final class of the day. She was feeling much bettter and was relieved to have stomached a slice of toast with jam by this point in the day.
When they entered the medi-witch’s ward together, a smile spread across Madam Pomfrey’s face. Severus had to fight to stop himself from rolling his eyes when she grinned like a Cheshire Cat and awaited the news she so clearly already knew. Severus glanced at Hermione and, for the first time since he had known her, she seemed painfully oblivious to the fact that their secret wasn’t very secret. He nearly chuckled at the thought.
“Good afternoon, Headmaster, and Professor Granger,” Madam Pomfrey said with a nod, “how can I be of assistance?” Her gaze lowered to take in the sight of Hermione. Severus could tell Hermione was uncomfortable under her scrutiny. Severus could see that the unwarranted attention made Hermione uncomfortable and had caught her off guard.
“Poppy, there is something we would like to share with you in confidence,” Severus said calmly and Hermione watched as the Cheshire Cat’s grin grew even wider. Suddenly, he felt an elbow in his ribs.
“Oh bloody hell, Severus, she already knows,” Hermione said as she gestured to the giddy witch who was clearly itching to jump up from her desk. “Look at her face.”
“Yes, yes,” Madam Pomfrey began as she rounded her desk. “It’s painfully obvious, dear. I’m sorry to see you are suffering so much or else it likely wouldn’t have given you away so soon.” Hermione accepted her loving embrace.
“Does everyone know,” Hermione asked as Madam Pomfrey moved to hug the Headmaster. She patted his back lovingly before leaning against her desk.
“Well...,” a thoughtful expression graced her face, “yes I think just about everyone. McGonagall even.”
“How does she know?” Severus looked shocked.
“Well, I told her,” she said matter of factly. “You know she owls me almost daily...”
Severus shrugged in reply.
“Well, I just have to say that I could not be happier,” she continued busily. “We couldn’t have better news for two better people.” She gestured for Hermione to follow her to a small examination table in her office. Hermione sat on the bench.
“My, we couldn’t have a better thing happen here,” she rambled as she began examining Hermione. “I just could not be happier!” Madam Pomfrey smiled so wide that it was simply contagious and Severus and Hermione finally allowed themselves a moment to relax.
That evening, however, they decided that Severus should call an early afternoon staff meeting. He would have liked to have done it first thing in the morning, but Hermione’s nausea made it clear that would not be the best time.
At quarter to two Hermione sat in an overstuffed chair, sipping a piping cup of tea in the staff room as they all gathered to wait for the meeting to begin. She blew on her tea gently as she observed the people around her. She was certainly on the receiving end of enough sideways glances to know that everyone at least suspected something.
She drained her mug when Severus entered the room. She had never stopped appreciating the way he commanded attention with his presence. Yes, he was certainly softer now than he had been, but that did not stop every single head from turning the moment he entered a room. The room was silent for a moment while the staff waited for him to speak.
“Professor Granger,” he said with a gentle nod in her direction, “if you would please join me.”
Hermione set the empty mug on the armrest and stood beside Severus. She took a deep breath before speaking. She felt as if she would hear a pin drop on the hard, stone floor. She could feel the echo of her own voice.
“Severus and I,” she began, intentionally foregoing the use of his formal title, “wanted to hold this staff meeting in order to share news of our engagement with you.”
Surprised and slightly confused gasps filled the room. That had not been the news most had been expecting to hear, but it was wonderful all the same. Severus cleared his throat over the din.
“We did, however, realize we needed to broaden the intention of this meeting when, shortly after our engagement, we found that Hermione is expecting,” Severus added. Professor Sprout nearly howled in excitement and Professor Flitwick turned to Hagrid in excitement. Hagrid was beaming as he stared at Hermione in awe. Madam Pomfrey’s eyes began to water at the sight of the smile unfolding on Severus’ face.
“Congratulations!” Someone yelled from the room. “Spectacular news!” It was a familiar voice. Severus furrowed his brow.
Hagrid looked shy as he held out Dumbledore’s portrait from behind his back. “Err..I’m sorry Headmaster, I know the Headmaster’s portraits are not to be taken from the gallery without you knowin but I jus’ knew the ole Headmaster here would be ‘appy to hear this news with his own two ears.” Albus was excitedly clapping as he ran in and out of his frame, obviously spreading the news faster than anyone else possibly could. Severus could only chuckle at the spectacle of it all.
He rubbed Hermione’s back lovingly; a public display of affection that they did not typically engage in. Once or twice, he was sure, a member of staff had glimpsed them walking together in the evening or grazing the other with a soft touch; kissing in greeting or departure. That was different, however, than intentionally engaging her as he was now.
Suddenly, as he watched the scene before him, Severus felt overcome with emotion. There wasn’t anything in particular that he wanted to say, but he felt as if he had lost his voice box. As Hermione slipped her ring onto her finger and accepted congratulations from her colleagues and friends, Severus allowed himself to fade into the background. He was beginning to feel hot and oddly overwhelmed. He wanted to adjourn this so-called meeting but one couldn’t simply do that. How do you stop a celebration? As several staff members congratulated him on their way out of the staff room, he felt that he needed to leave.
“Hermione,” he said as he leaned into her conversation with Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout, “I will see you back in our quarters. I have some work to finish up and will be there as soon as I can.” Hermione nodded to acknowledge him and quickly returned to her conversation.
Severus turned left out of the door instead of right in order to take a back passageway to his office. He did not wish to run into anyone at the moment. He felt hot and he wasn’t sure why. He pulled on his cravat gently to loosen it.
He kept his head down as he rounded the final corner on the way to his office and entered. As the door swung shut behind him, he headed directly to pour himself a short glass of Ogden’s Finest from an old bottle that he kept on a side cabinet. When he reached for it, however, it was not there.
His gaze immediately landed on his desk, where he saw the bottle and two tumblers placed a top the dark wood. The man who sat behind the desk grinned as he poured glasses for each of them, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“I think congratulations are in order, Headmaster,” the man behind the desk said.
Severus smirked at the intruder’s pretension, but moved to sit across from him anyway. He accepted the glass as he sat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk. The man behind his desk raised his glass to toast and their glasses rang out in cheers before they both took a sip of the warm liquid. Severus relished the slight burn and returned his glass to the desk. He sat back casually in the chair and waited for the man to speak. Instead, a childish grin simply spread across his face and his usurper said nothing.
“You have some nerve, Potter…” he said as he reached for a second sip. “I should have known she would tell you.”
“Yes, you should have. Clearly you were thinking about other things,” Harry said cooly and Severus chuckled into his glass.
“What’s so funny?”
“Realizing that I’m going to have a child that’s the same age as Harry Potter’s son,” he said with a laugh as he finished his drink. Harry thought about that momentarily before laughing as well and finishing his drink as well.
“Are you ready?” Severus asked with a cocked eyebrow.
“Fuck no,” came Harry’s swift reply. “Actually, the closer Ginny’s due date gets the less ready I feel.” Harry pointed between the door and the desk. “That look you had when you walked in here is exactly how I’ve felt for the past several months.”
Severus understood suddenly that the panic he felt in the staff room was a feeling he had not felt in quite some time. Was he happy? Absolutely. Excited? Yes. Abundantly worried? Hell yes. He realized that the panic was in fact quite expected as he looked at Harry from beneath a heavy brow.
“Thank you,” Severus said genuinely. Harry nodded before rising from the desk and patting his old professor’s shoulder as he left the Headmaster’s office.
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The Reckoning